TWO EARLY AISTHALIAX OUMTHOLOfU.sTS -N'OKTH. 127 



fellows slept around the tire, entirely unconscious of the evil 

 ilesigns of the natives ; having always found those we had passed 

 so fiiendly and well disposed, we felt in as great security as you 

 do in the midst of London, lying on our blankets, conversing on 

 different topics. Not one could have closed his eyelids, when ] 

 was surprised by a noise as if some persons were throwing sticks 

 at our tent ; thinking it nuist be some trick played on us by our 

 companit)ns, I sat up and looked out ; another \olley of spears ; 

 a terrific yell, that will ring in my ears for ever, was raised, anfl 

 pierced with spears, which T found it impossible to extricate, I 

 sunk helpless on the ground ; the whole l)ody rushed upon us 

 with their waddies, and how it is that our brains did not bespatter 

 the ground, is to me miraculous. These rascals had crept on us 

 under cover of the tea-trees, the tent where Cahert and I were 

 being first in their I'oad, the wjiole body attacked us ; poor 

 Gilbert, hearing the noise, was rushing from his tent with his gun, 

 wjien a spear w-as thrown at him, pierced his breast, and pene- 

 trating to his lungs caused internal h(ennnorrhage ; the only 

 woi'ds he spoke were these, "Charlie take my gun, they have 

 killed me," when pulling out the spear with his own hands he im- 

 mediately dropped upon the ground lifeless. Little Murphy, who 

 was by his side at the time he was sjjeared, fii-ed at the black- 

 felhjw who liad speared him ; Brown fired at the mob beating 

 Calvert and myself, and they immediately retreated, howling and 

 lamenting. ]\lr. Calvert w-as pierced with five spears, myself with 

 six, and our recovery is to be attributed to the abstemious way in 

 which we lived. After having tlie spears pulled out, you may 

 imagine our feelings when we heard Charlie exclaim, "Gilbert is 

 dead" — we could not, would not l)elieve it. Alas', the morning 

 luduglit no better tidings — poor (iilbert was consigned to his last 

 and narrow home, the prayers of the Church of JOngland were 

 read over him, and a large fire made upon his grave for the pur 

 pose of misleading the blacks, who we thought, would probably 

 return and search the camp upon our departure. It is impossible 

 to describe the gloom and sorrow the fatal accident cast upon our 

 partv. Asa companion none was more cheerful or agreeable ; as 

 a man none more indefatigable or more pei-se\ering ; but it is 

 useless for me to eulctgize one so well known to you — one whont 

 vou will have cause to regret, and who will e\er be remembered by„ 

 Sir, 



Youi's most trulv, 



.John UoPKit." 



Although Cilbeit was bui-ied in a lonely grave in North 

 (Queensland he was not forgotten, " unhonoured, unwept, unsung." 



